Amazing Grace: The Song That Saved Us
Ephesians 2:8-9
Key Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Introduction
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound…”
We’ve heard it at funerals, revivals, in churches, and on street corners. It’s a song that transcends generations, cultures, and denominations. But it’s more than a beautiful melody—it’s a powerful testimony of what grace does in a broken life.
John Newton, the hymn’s writer, was a slave trader turned preacher. He once described himself as “a wretch,” and that’s exactly how the hymn begins:
“That saved a wretch like me.”
He knew what he was—and what he became through God’s amazing grace.
Point 1: Grace Finds Us at Our Worst
Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Grace doesn’t wait for us to get clean. It doesn’t demand that we climb our way to God. It reaches into the pit—into addiction, pride, rebellion, bitterness—and pulls us out.
John Newton was literally navigating a slave ship when grace found him.
You may not be in a ship, but maybe you’ve been drifting. Maybe you’ve been lost, which brings us to the next line:
“I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.”
That’s the gospel.
Point 2: Grace Opens Our Eyes
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Grace doesn’t just forgive—it transforms.
It changes how we see the world, others, and ourselves.
Before grace, we’re blind—chasing things that cannot satisfy.
After grace, we see clearly: who we are, who God is, and how much we are loved.
Point 3: Grace Carries Us Home
The hymn continues:
“Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come,
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”
Grace isn’t just what saves us—it’s what keeps us.
Philippians 1:6
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Life brings storms. You’ll face loss, temptation, disappointment—but grace will be your anchor.
When you feel like giving up, God’s grace whispers, “I’m not done with you yet.”
Conclusion: The Sound of Grace Still Echoes
Amazing grace still saves wretches.
It still finds the lost.
It still opens blind eyes.
And it still carries people home.
It’s not just a song—it’s a story.
Maybe today, it’s your story.
Closing Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your amazing grace. Thank You for finding us when we were lost, for forgiving us when we didn’t deserve it, and for leading us through every trial. Let us never forget the price of that grace—Jesus on the cross. May we live in the freedom it brings and extend that grace to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.